Budget fillip to pending projects

Ranchi, Nov. 30: Food and civil supplies, agriculture, road construction and industries, were some of the basic sectors that received priority in the second supplementary budget, which was tabled by the Arjun Munda government in the Assembly today.

Sources said the new budget would help increase the pace of various ongoing and pending projects.

The second supplementary budget, worth over Rs 524.82 crore, has earmarked Rs 135.29 crore to the food and civil supplies department. Of the total amount, Rs 135.27 crore has been earmarked under the plan head to facilitate smooth supply of foodgrains and other essential commodities to BPL families. The remaining sum of Rs 2.47 lakh was transferred to the food and civil supplies department under the non-plan head.

The primary and public education has been allocated over Rs 63.38 crore under the non-plan head that is used for paying wages to schoolteachers and employees. The state had recently agreed to revise the wages of the para-teachers. However, it has not allocated anything under the plan head in the sector

The agriculture department too has been granted Rs 93.28 crore.

Besides, Rs 74.57 crore has been allocated for crop husbandry and general economic services with Rs 17.81 crore being proposed under the non-plan head. The government has also allotted Rs 1.02 crore for construction of 306 concrete houses for the fishermen community.

The budgetary allocation for maintenance and furnishing of roads, including those of the National Highways, was more than Rs 28crore.

A similar sum in aid has also been proposed for the smooth functioning of the Jharkhand State Child Rights Protection Commission.